His wife is bad at business

Dear Amy: Working at home during the pandemic has given me a glimpse into how my wife does business.

She is often rude to her customers and co-workers, with a particularly annoying habit of loudly talking over them to try to gain the verbal upper hand. She also battles with her boss instead of trying to work to mutually agreeable solutions.

I’ve tried to offer suggestions and techniques from my years of corporate experience but am waved off.

The company she works for is small and poorly run, and the level of professionalism is generally low, which is why I’m sure she wasn’t fired a long time ago. But who knows what the future holds? We need both of our incomes right now.

I’m at a loss about how to handle this when I see and hear these cringe-worthy mistakes. Should I just keep my mouth shut?

She’s probably a year from retirement and I doubt she’s going to change, but she’s frustrated and crabby at the end of the day, and I know a large part of that is how she conducts herself. Jaw Dropped in Denver

Dear Jaw Dropped: I’m assuming your wife’s behavior also surfaces during your domestic life. Is she rude to wait staff at restaurants, or impatient and imperious when negotiating home repairs with service workers? Does she talk over you in an effort to get the upper hand in a conversation?

Perhaps you assumed she would behave differently (as most of us do) at work.

I agree with your perceptive assessment that your wife’s rude and unprofessional behavior is causing her to feel more frustrated and angry at the end of the day. She cannot close out her work days with the memory of successful interactions and positive feedback. Instead she carries with her the vestiges of constant conflict. What a burden!

She may agree to put a mirror at her workstation or have you videotape a call. Do so without comment. Watching her own face and body language and hearing her rudeness might inspire her to behave differently.

Dear Amy: I am a middleage woman who lives alone. I have a beloved pet. I work from home.

Before the pandemic I had very limited interaction with the public, by choice, but did go out freely on errands and shopping trips.

Now my exposure to the outside world is close to nil and I’ve developed a bizarre habit that worries me.

I always talked to my pet in an overly sweet “baby talk.” I’ve noticed I have carried this over to everyday areas of my life, almost like a narrative: “Oh, I’m washing my face, ohhhhh! And we don’t have a toweeeelll!’ in a baby-pitched sing-song.

This happens throughout the day — a bizarre, high-pitched narration to punctuate activities.

I think I’m losing my mind. Have you ever heard of this, and how can I break this weird habit? Screw Loose in Lucedale

Dear Screw Loose: I shared your question with eight women who live alone (some with pets), and every single one said they narrate their days — aloud.

I don’t think you are losing your mind. I think your mind has adapted to your situation, and so like Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” (he personalized and talked to a volleyball!), you have found a way to actually stay sane.

I’ll be interested in hearing more from readers.